Valve for steam-engines



(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1. O. G. POOLE.

VALVE FOR STEAM ENGINES.

Patented Sept. 6, 1887.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- O. G. POOLE. l

VALVE FOR STEAM ENGINES. No. 369,552. Patented Sept. 6, 1887..

3 SheetsSh eet 3.

(No Model.)

0. 0, POOLE. VALVE- FOR STEAM ENGINES.

Patented Sept. 6,

a al' L NITED STATES C. CLARENCE POOLE, t EVANSTON, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERTL. IDE, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

VALVE FOR STEAlVhENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,552, datedSeptember 6, 1887.

Application filed March 16, 1887. Serial No. 231,124. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, O. CLARENCE PooLE, of Evanston, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Valves for Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved construction insteam-engine slideval ves. whereby two or more openings or ports areafforded for the passage of steam both in the admission of steam to thecylinder and in its exit therefrom to the exhaust passage. The inventionconsists in the matters hereinafter described, and pointed out in theappended claims.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings the general principlesof construction embraced in my invention as applied both to what isknown as a hollow piston-valve, or one in which the movable part of thevalve consists of a hollow tube having enlarged parts or pistons at bothends fitted to slide in cylindric valve-seats containing annularsteamportssuch, for instance, as illustrated in a prior Letters Patent,N 0. 319,261, granted to Albert L. Ide upon the 2d day of June, 1885,and also to a valve similar to the common D-valve.

In a slide-valve embodying my invention the steam-passages leading fromthe ends of the cylinders to the valve-seats are provided with two ormore openings or ports arranged side by side along the valve-seats inthe manner heretofore common in what is known as gridiron valves, andthe movable part of the valve is provided with working-surfacescorresponding in number and relative position with the several ports andhaving steampassages between them, an equal number of which passagescommunicate with the central steam-space of the said movable part of thevalve and with the central exhaust or inlet passage of the steam-chestor valve-casing so that a plurality of ports is provided both for theinflux and exit of steam, as will hereinafter more fully appear. By theconstruction described a-large area for both the admission and exit ofsteam is obtained without materially increasing the width of the portsor the throw of the valve, with the obvious advantage of allowing arapid passage of steam to and from the cylinder and of enabling a highpressure to be quickly established within the cylinder and of allowing arapid exit of the exhaust-steam therefrom. A construction affording alarge area of steam'passages for the inflow and exit of steam is ofspecial utility in the case of high-speed engines and has importantadvantagesin all engines, inasmuch as it enables them to do a greateramount of work with a less consumption of fuel.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is anaxial longitudinal section through a steam chest and valve embodying oneform of the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of thesame, taken upon line a: x of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is asirnilar sectional viewtaken upon line y y of Fig. 1. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view ofavalve somewhat different from that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 5 isa transverse sectional view of the said valve, taken upon line yy ofFig. 4. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the same, taken upon line axof Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken upon line 00 m of Figs. 8and 9, illustrating my invention as applied to a D-valve. Fig. 8 is aplan section of the same, taken upon line as roof Fig. 7. Fig.

9 is a transverse section taken upon line gm of Fig. 7. Fig. 10illustrates a valve differing somewhat from that shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in the said drawings, Figs. 1 to 3, both inclusive, A indicatesthe steam-cylinder of an engine; B, the valve-casing of the steamchest,and O the movable part or valve proper, which is of the form or typeknown as a hollow piston-valve. Said valveCis provided with a stem, a,passing through a gland, b, at the end of the steam-chest, by which thevalve is operated in a familiar manner. The valve 0 is furthermoreprovided with the usual enlarged parts or portions, 0, at its ends,which enlarged parts are fitted to slide in annular cylindrievalve-seats B B, formedin the steamchest B. Said steam-chest isconnected with the ends of theoylinder by meansof the usualsteampassages, B, and the said valve-seats B are each-provided with twoannular steam-ports, Y)" I), connected with each other and with thepassages 13 by means of longitudinal passages b, formed in the walls ofthe steam-chest and extending entirely around the valve, as clearlyshown in the sectional view, Figs. 2 and 3.

The enlarged portions O of the valve G are each provided with threeseparate annular Working or bearing surfaces, 0 C G, between which arelocated steam-passages 0 c herein shown as formed by a series ofapertures arranged annularly about the valve, as

will hereinafter more fully appear.

The annular bearing-surfaces G operate in connection with the ports 12to bring said port alternately into connection with the live-steam space.of the steam-chest and with the central exhaust-passage,Bithereof, and,similarly, the

annular bearing-surfaces O operate in connection with the ports I) tobring said ports either in communication with the live-steam space orwith the central exhaust-passage.

(J O are hollow rings attached to and surrounding the main part of thevalve 0 near its ends. The outer surfaces of said rings are constructedto form the annular bearing-surfaces 0 O", and the steam-passages c care formed in said rings. Said rings 0 O are supported from the centralor main part, 0, of the valve by means of radial ribs 0 c, as moreclearly shown in Fig. 2, between which are formed a series oflongitudinal passages, c. The passages 12 c are located between the saidmain part of the valve and the ring'O and serve to connect the annularsteam-openings c c of the valve with the central exhaustspace, B of thesteam-chest. The stean1-openings c c communicate directly with theannular interior chambers or passages,c ,of the hollow rings 0 and saidpassages c communicate with the interior space of the main part of thevalve by means of a series of radial passages, 0 extending through theribs 0 0 by which the rings 0 are connected with the body of the valve,as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

In the valve constructed in the manner above described, when the valveis at one limit of its movement-as, for instance, when moved to theright, as shown in the drawings-the live steam admitted through theinlet steam-pipe Bpasses through the hollow piston-valve and gainsaccess to the ports I), which are at this time uncovered, as clearlyindicated at the left-hand side of Fig. 1. At the same time that steampasses through the port I) at the end of the valve steam will also passfrom the interior of the valve through the radial openings 0 into theannular passages 0 and thence through the-annular steam-openings 0 intothe annular port 01 from which it reaches the passage B through thespace b. WVhen the steam is entering the valve-ports in the mannerdescribed, exhaust-steam from the opposite end of the cylinder passesfrom the port b which is at this time uncovered by the surface 0, intothe central steam-passage, B and exhaust-steam also passes from the port1/ to said passage B through the steamopening 0 of the valve and thelongitudinal passages 0 which connect said steam-opening c with the saidexhaust-passage B in the manner before described. It willof course beunderstood that when the valve is shifted to the opposite end of itsthrow the operation of the several ports and passages will be reversed,and that steam will enter the ports b b at the right-hand end of thesteam-chest in the same manner as before described.

For the general purposes of my invention the several ports and passagesdescribed may be formed in the valve 0 and in the valve-seat in anymanner found convenient or desirable. As herein shown, thebearing-surfaces of the valve-seats are formed by annular rings orbushings D D, which are fitted to the walls of the steam-chest and areprovided with two separate series of apertures, forming the steamports12 b, the passages b b in this instance being formed by means ofrecesses cast in the wall of the steam-chest and covered by the parts ofthe bushings between the ports. A construction in whichcylindricvalve-seats are constructed in this manner is illustrated anddescribed in an application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 201,823,filed May 11, 1886', and such construction is not herein claimed as new.The said valve-seats and the ports b b may, however, in practice be madeotherwise than as herein shown-as, for instance, the said ports b b maybe made continuous or in the form of annular grooves in the surface ofthe valve-seats and arranged to communicate with passages cast in thewalls of the steam-chest.

As aconvenient means of forming the ann ular chambers c c of the valve0, and at the same time providing the ports or passages c 0, leadinginto said annular chambers c o, I preferably cast the valve with openannular recesses in the outer surfaces ofthe rings 0 C and cover suchrecess with separate metal cylinders or sleeves D D, which are aperturedto form the ports 0 c and for convenience in construction are extendedoutwardly to the ends of the valve and over the space between thebearing-surfaces O and G the sleeves being apertured toform the ports 00. Incase'the sleeves are made of continuous rings and the IOO IIO

body of the valve 0 in one piece, it is obvi- I ously necessary toextend the sleeves to the ends of the valve, in order that they may beslipped over said ends in putting them in place. p

Inasmuch as the construction in the valve above described is a novelone, and one by which the valve may be cheaply and easily made, thisconstruction is herein claimed as part of myinvention. It is to beunderstood, however, that as far as the main features of noveltyembraced in my invention are concerned the valve .0, provided with portsand passages arranged as above described, may be made of one or moreparts attached together in any manner found convenient or desirable.

The tubular port or body of the valve, as

eeassz illustrated in said Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is attached at both endsto the valvestem c by means of radial plates or arms 0 c 0 cast integralwith the said tubular port of the valve, and connected at their innerends with hubs c 0 ,Which are centrally apertured for the passage of thesaid valvestem, which passes through thevalve from end to end thereof,and is held in place relatively to the valve by nuts placed thereonoutside of the hubs c 0 and bearing against said hubs in the mannershown.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 I have shown a valve embodying the mainj featuresof construction above set forth, but in which provision for both theinflow and exit of the steam through a plurality of ports is providedfor in a somewhat different manner. In this instance, as clearly shownin Fig. 4, the valve-seat B is provided with three ports, I) If If. Thevalve has at each end three bearing-surfaces, O C 0*, arranged in thesame way as before described, and having between them an annularopening, 0, which in this case leads directly into the hollow interiorof the valve, and an opening, 0, which leads to the centralsteam-passage, B of the valve through longitudinal passages 0, formed byannular parts or rings sustained from the body of the valve by radialribs 0 in the same manner as before described. In this case, however,the ring CF is solid, and takes in the width of the bearingsurface C"only. A valve constructed in this manner may take steam either at itsends or at'its middle, this being true also of the form of valve beforedescribed, and shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Supposing steam in thisinstance to enter at the middle of the valve through the centralsteam-valve, B (corresponding with the central steam-exhaust passage, Bof Figs. 1, 2, and 3,) the ports, as shown in Fig. 4,will be in positionfor the inflow of steam to the cylinder at the left-hand end of thevalve, and for the exit of steam at the right-hand end of the valve.Steam entering through the central passage, 13, passes through the portIf, uncovered by the surface 0, and also through the passage 0 and thesteam-opening 0 into the port b. At this time the port b at the end ofthe valve-seat will be covered by the bearing-surface C. At the oppositeend of the valve the port I) will be uncovered by the bearingsurface 0,so that steam may pass from the said port to the exhaust-pipe, and theannular steam-opening c of the valve will coincide with the annular portb so that exhaust-steam may pass also from said port b the third port atthe inner endof this side of the valve-seat being at this time closed bythe bearing-surface.

The bearing-surfaces of the valveseats B 1-3 of the valves shown in saidFigs. 4., 5, and 6 are formed by bushings D D, apertured to form theports 0 b b in the same manner as before described in connection withthe valve illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. In this instance the annularsteam-openings c 0 of the valve are continuous, and are formed bycutting entirely through the walls of the valve, the parts of the valveupon either side of the opening being connected with each other, andalso with the valve-stem o, by means of radial plates or arms 0 0 0which are attached at their inner ends to hubs c 0 upon the valvestem inthe same manner illustrated in Fig. 1.

A construction in which the novel features in the valve above describedare applied to a valve of the kind known as a D-valve is illustrated inFigs.7, 8, and 9. In these figures, E is an engine-cylinder providedwith a rectangular steam-chest, F,and provided with steampassages E,leading from the steam-chest to the cylinder. As shown in said figures,live steam is admitted through a passage, E, to the steamchest', and theexhaust-steam makes its exit through a passage, E, communicating withthe valve-seat by a central exhaust-port of the valve, 6. Thesteam-passages E E communicate with the steam-chest by means of portse'e", the ports 0 being those nearest the exhaust-ports e.

G is a slide-valve actuated by the usual valve-stem, y. Said valve isprovided with the usual recess or cavity, G, adapted to affordcommunication between the central exhaustport, 6, and the steam-portsofthe valve. The valve is provided at each end with a series oftransverse working-faces G G G, of which the surfaces G G act inconjunction with the ports 6 e in the same manner as before described inconnection with the annular bearing-surfaces C O C of the valve shown inFigs. 1, 2, and 3. Openings or ports 9 g are formed in the face of thevalve between the surfaces G G 'G. The openings 9 geommunicate with thecentral space or recess, G, of the valve by means of longitudinalpassages g g 5 cast in the valve in the manner clearly shown in thedrawings, Figs. 8 and 9, and the openings communicate with recesses g,which are connected with the live-steam space of the steam-chest bymeans of the openings or passages g g 9 located between the longitudinalopenings 9 g g". In the operation of this valve, when the valve G isshifted to the right, as illustrated in said Fig. 7, the port 6 at theleft-hand side of the valve will be exposed at the end of the valve, andthe adjacent port 6 will be brought into communication with thesteam-space of the steam-chest by means of the opening 9 of the chamber9*, the passages g g g at the opposite or righthand side of theValve-port 6 will be in direct communication with the exhaust-port orcentral exit-passage, 6, while the port (2 will communicate with saidexhaust-port or exitpassage by means of the opening 9! and longitudinalpassages g g 9 When the valve is shifted at the opposite limit of itsmovement, the position of the ports will be the same, so that at alltimes a passage for the passage of live and exhaust steam will beafforded through the two sets of ports or steamopenings.

It is entirely obvious that in either of the several forms of valves.described three or more steam openings or ports may be afforded for thesteam inlet and exhaust by providing the necessary number of steam-portsin the steam-chest and a corresponding number of working or bearingsurfaces and steam-passages in the moving part of the valve proper.

A construction of this kind isillustrated in Fig. 10 as applied to ahollow piston-valve generally similar to that shown in Fig. 1, butdiffering therefrom by having ,two hollow rings, G at each end of thevalve 0, and by having in the Valve-seat three ports, b b b. In thisinstance an additional annular steampassage, 0*, is formed between therings 0 G which steam-passage communicates by means of the longitudinalpassages c c with the central exhaust or steam-exit passage of the'valve, and two separate annular passages, c c,

are formed in the hollow rings 0 0 both communicating with the interiorof the valve 0 by means of radial passages 0 c c.

It will be readily seen that in the operation of a valve made as shownin said Fig. 10 three ports will be opened both for the ad mission andexit of steam. The said figure shows the valve in position for the exitof steam from the cylinder, the arrows showing the course of the steamthrough the three ports b, b and b to the exhaust-port or centralsteamexit passage. of the valve.

Inasmuch as a valve containing the general features of constructionpresent in .all of the different forms of valve illustrated is new, Idesire to claim, broadly, such general features of construction withoutlimitation to the particular construction in which such general featuresare or may be embodied. Specific claims are, however, also herein madeto particular features of construction and combinations of parts hereinillustrated, which are thought to be in themselves novel.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination,with an engine-cylinder andvalve-chest, of a valve-seatprovided with a central space or opening,and with a plurality of steam-ports at each side of said centralopening, and a slide-valve provided with a central steam-space opposedto the central openingof the valve-seat, and provided also with .aplurality of working or bearing surfaces acting in conjunction with thesaid ports, and with intermediate steam-passages which communicate bothwith the central opening of the valve-seat and with the steam-space ofthe valve-chest, substantially as described.

2. The combination,with a steam-chest provided with cylindricvalve-seats having each a plurality of annular ports communicating withone end of the cylinder, of a hollow pistonvalve provided at each endwith two annular steam-passages, one of which communicates with theexhaust-space of the valve-casing and the other with the live-steamspace of said casing, substantially as described.

3. The combination,with asteam-chest having two cylindric valve-seats,each provided with two steam-ports,of a hollow piston-valve provided ateach end with three annular bearing-surfaces, having between them twoannular ports or passages, c c, and with longitudinal passages c 0*,connecting the annular passage c with the central space of thevalvecasing,and with radial passages 0,connecting the said port orpassage 6 with the interior of the hollow piston, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination,with a steam-chest having two cylindric seats, eachprovided with two steam-ports, of a hollow piston-valve provided at eachend with three annular bearingsurfaces having between them two annularports or passages, 0 0 with a series of longitudinal passages, 0* 0*,connecting the annular port or passage 0 with the central space of thevalve-casing,with an annular chamber, 0", extending around the valveexterior to the pas sages c, and communicating with the ports orpassages c 0 and with a series of radial passages, c 0", located betweenthe passagesc c, and connecting the annular chamber 0 with the hollowinterior of the piston-valve, substantially as described. I

5. The combination, with the hollow pistonvalve 0, provided at each endwith ports 0' a, longitudinal passages 0 c", an annular cham' ber, 0 andwith radial passages connecting said annular chamber with theinterior ofthe valve, of separate rings or bushings containing the ports a". andsecured to the exterior of the valve, so as to form the outer wall ofsaid annular chamber 0 substantially as described.

In testimony that fclaim the foregoing as myinvention I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

O. CLARENCE POOLE.

